


Sugarplum

by IambicKentameter



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: M/M, Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, christmas party au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 07:31:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13072125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IambicKentameter/pseuds/IambicKentameter
Summary: Arthur makes out with a random guy at an Ugly Christmas Sweater party.





	Sugarplum

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Secret Saito gift for teacuphuman09 on tumblr! Hope you enjoy it, sweetie, and have a happy holiday!

 

Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties were the bane of Arthur's existence. The whole point of getting dressed up and going out was to look good, not to look objectively terrible and then compete to see who looked the worst.

Ariadne had strong armed him into a sweater vest at the very least, one adorned with a repeating pattern of reindeer, but was subtle enough for his tastes. He'd chosen to pair it with a maroon button down and a forest green tie, going with the most "Christmas" while being the least tacky.

Apparently, not everyone at the party had gotten the memo.

It was Mal's friend, he knew on sight. The actor everyone was always talking about, Eames. Arthur had yet to meet him, but the man in question was the only one he didn't recognise in the entire party. 

Arthur's lip curled when he saw Eames' [sweater](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/YB8l4Wsews-qUndVMi0inY41SyE/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2017/11/08/781/n/1922283/247a51463bbfa12d_539deb3274aad3121fbf736ab80e0d2c/i/Carlton-Ugly-Christmas-Sweater.jpg). 

Carlton, from the fresh Prince of Bel Air. Wearing a Santa hat, with a tacky green and pink background.

Arthur rested a hand on Saito's elbow. "What. the hell."

Saito sipped his wine passive aggressively. "When the Cobbs proposed an Ugly Christmas party, I didn't anticipate that it would be taken so seriously."

Arthur chuckled behind his glass, watching Eames parade around the party, show off his dumb sweater, and chat up every guest. "God, he's so..."

"He's a peacock." Saito snickered. "Come, Arthur. Join me in the kitchen and we can try the Rosè that Dom brought."

"If it gets me away from that eyesore, I'm in." Arthur gave Saito a gentle nudge towards the kitchen.

Saito bypassed the three boxes and two bottles of 8 dollar wine that were laid out on the counter, immediately popping open the cupboard and rooting through it. “I know she’s hidden it somewhere…” He mumbled, until finally giving an ‘ah ha!’ and pulling out a rather nicer bottle of Rose. “Mal hid it not long after Dom showed up with it.”

“Ah.” Arthur offered his glass to Satio. “Fill her up, then.”

“I’m so glad you’ve decided to come, my friend.” Saito said as he poured each of them a glass. “I’ve recently added something to my list of acquisitions that I know you’d be the only one to appreciate.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes.” Saito leaned in excitedly. “I’ve recently purchased an authentic Kabuki mask, dating all the way back to the Kamakura period.”

Arthur’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Holy shit, Saito, that’s amazing.”

“I’ve decided to keep it in my personal collection. Maybe-”

He was cut off by laughter, coming from the doorway adjoining the Living room and the kitchen.

Arthur rolled his eyes upon seeing the interloper who’d so rudely interrupted their conversation. “Can I  _ help _ you, Eames?”

“Me?” Eames pressed a finger into his disgusting Carlton sweater. “No, I’m fine, thank you… Arthur, right?”

Arthur nodded. “Good. Great. Then why don’t you…” He gestured for Eames to leave, which only made the shit-eating grin grow.

Eames ignored him, eyes shifting to Saito. “You lost your money, mate.”

“Pardon me?”

“On that ‘authentic’ mask?” Eames chuckled. “C’mon, at least do some bloody research before you go buying shit. Everyone knows that there’s no such thing as a Kabuki mask. Only Noh theatre used masks, never Kabuki. So either you’ve bought a Noh mask, a Chinese Opera mask, or some European mask that’s not even from Asia that you’ve gone and called a ‘Kabuki mask’ because you’re uncultured.” He sipped his drink casually. “Either way, it’s not going to be Kamakura period, that’s about five hundred years before the Edo period, which is when Kabuki got started.”

There was a scant moment of complete silence, wherein Saito looked to Arthur, who shrugged.

“You’re the expert in Japanese history, as far as I’m concerned. I only took the one class.”

Saito scowled before fishing out his phone. “I need to make a few calls.” He said as a way of excusing himself, before he ducked out of the kitchen.

Eames waited until he was gone to speak up again. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to embarrass your friend. But he got ripped off.”

“And what, exactly, is your accreditation on the subject?” Arthur snapped.

“Oh, I’m an actor who’s dabbled in East Asian theatre for about six years now.” He offered his hand to shake. “Name’s Eames.”

Arthur ignored the hand. “I know.”

“But we’ve hardly been introduced.”

“I’ve heard stories.” Arthur glanced down at the sweater. “And now I see that they’re true.”

“I’ll have you know this sweater is hilarious.” Eames countered with a chuckle. “Come now, Arthur. I can’t have you judging me based on my Theme-Fitting attire alone.”

“Then what should I judge you on?”

“You shouldn’t judge me at all, darling.” 

 

Somehow, this lead the two of them into polite conversation, during which they gradually transitioned from the kitchen back to the living room. At some point, they shifted from polite small talk to shop-talk, Eames telling him all about a show he’d wrapped the week before, and Arthur explaining how his work could be considered interesting by some, which Eames apparently wasn’t buying.

It seemed as though Arthur blinked and hours had passed, the party was beginning to wind down, he and Eames being one of a few stragglers left behind, and for some reason, they’d stopped talking entirely and moved on to kissing.

Arthur pulled away from Eames and his soft, prodigious lips, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, what-”

“No, I’m sorry, how presumptuous of me…” Eames chuckled, focusing back in on his drink.

“No, it’s alright, I-” Arthur paused mid-sentence, upon feeling something hard and round in his mouth. “What…” He ran his tongue over it, it was sour, but with a sweet after taste.

Eames refused to make eye contact. He was blushing pretty ferociously, something Arthur hadn’t been sure he could even do. “I see you’ve found my sugarplum.”


End file.
